Hockey and fashion come together at charity event

NHL.com

Hockey and fashion come together at charity eventHockey and fashion combined at Fashion Faceoff 2013, showcasing hockey-related designs at an event held to benefit Ice Hockey in Harlem.

The worlds of fashion and hockey rarely intersect, but one charity event during New York's annual Fashion Week saw a unique combination of two industries that usually don't share much in common.

A group of designers showcased hockey-inspired creations at Fashion Faceoff 2013, with the winner to be featured in Raine Magazine.

All proceeds benefitted Ice Hockey in Harlem.

"It's amazing to see an event like this come together and the hard work of our young professionals board making it happen," said John Sanful, executive director of Ice Hockey in Harlem. "For almost three decades now, Ice Hockey in Harlem has worked hard to smash stereotypes and provide kids with not only access to sport but to educational opportunities as well."

Dozens of attendees, including former NHL players Chris and Peter Ferraro, saw designers compete, with the winner decided by a group of judges that included Buffalo Sabres forward Ville Leino. The event provided a perfect opportunity for him to visit New York shortly before the opening of training camp.

"It's such a good cause and it's a fun event for everyone," Leino told NHL.com. "I usually come [to New York] for Fashion Week for a little bit every year. It's the perfect time, just before camp. So I'm usually here for a couple of days."

The event was organized by Ice Hockey in Harlem's Young Professionals Board; the organization has been providing opportunities for area youth to play hockey for almost three decades.

"This year we thought about doing something outside of the box. We thought about hockey and we thought about Fashion Week and we thought if we combined the two together we can have hockey-inspired fashion," said Jani Holmborg, president of the Young Professionals Board. "It's an unusual event, one we haven't done before."